Ready to learn to scuba dive but not sure where to begin? Figuring out how to book a scuba diving course may seem complicated at first, but PADI makes it easy to choose an option that works with your schedule, location and travel plans.
The PADI Open Water Diver course is the first scuba certification for most new divers. Your training consists of three parts: knowledge development, confined water training and open water dives. The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to complete all three in the same place.
There are three main ways to book your PADI scuba diving course:
- Start PADI eLearning™ and arrange your in-water training afterward.
- Book your entire course online through PADI.
- Book directly with a PADI Dive Center or Resort.
Here’s how each option works and how to decide where you want to complete your training.
Option 1: Start Your Scuba Course With PADI eLearning
If you want to start immediately or prefer learning at your own pace, PADI eLearning is one of the easiest ways to begin.
Purchase the PADI Open Water Diver eLearning course online and complete the knowledge development portion using your computer, tablet or phone. You can work through the material when and where it suits you.
Once you’ve started your eLearning, you’ll connect with a PADI Dive Center or Resort to arrange the in-water portions of your certification. These include confined water sessions and four open water training dives.
This option can be particularly convenient if you’re planning a dive vacation. Completing the theory before your trip means you’ll have more vacation time available for getting in the water.
Option 2: Book a Complete Course Through PADI
Want to choose your destination and book your scuba course at the same time? You can search and book PADI dive courses around the world through PADI Travel.
Search by destination to compare available courses and participating dive centers. Individual listings provide helpful details such as course duration, what’s included, language options, group size and training requirements.
This can be an especially convenient option if learning to dive is part of a larger vacation. You can choose your destination and arrange your training before you arrive.
Option 3: Book Through a PADI Dive Shop
You can also contact a PADI Dive Center or Resort directly to set up your training.
Use the PADI Dive Shop Locator to find PADI dive centers near you or in a destination of your choice. The dive shop can explain its course schedule, pricing, equipment requirements and available training options. You can then book your course directly through the shop.
This is a great option if you want to meet your instructor or ask questions before committing to a course. If booking at a dive shop local to you, it also connects you with your local diving community, which can be useful long after you earn your certification.
Where Should You Take Your Scuba Diving Course?
Once you know how to book a scuba diving course, there’s another decision to make: Where should you complete it?
You have three main options.
1. Complete Your Entire Course Locally
You don’t need a tropical vacation to learn to scuba dive. Many divers complete their knowledge development, confined water sessions and open water training close to home.
Training locally lets you work around your normal schedule rather than using vacation days for coursework and pool sessions. You’ll also establish a relationship with a nearby dive center. Once you’re certified, that shop may become your source for dive buddies, continuing education, equipment and local dive trips.
Then, when you do travel someplace where you can dive, you’ll arrive as a certified diver ready to explore.
2. Start at Home and Finish on Vacation
Can’t decide between learning locally and learning somewhere tropical? You can do both.
With a PADI Open Water Diver referral, you complete your knowledge development and confined water training with a PADI Dive Center near home. Your instructor then provides the documentation needed to complete your open water training dives with another PADI Dive Center.
This option gives you plenty of time to practice your skills before your trip while saving the most exciting part, your four open water dives, for your destination.
Make sure you arrange your referral and destination training in advance so both dive centers know your plans.
3. Complete Your Entire Course on Vacation
Your vacation can also become the beginning of your scuba journey.
Many PADI Dive Centers and Resorts offer the complete Open Water Diver course in popular diving destinations. Depending on the operator and schedule, you may be able to complete your certification in just a few days.
If you choose this option, consider completing your eLearning before you leave home. That way, you can spend less of your vacation studying and more of it in the water.
What Should You Ask Before Booking a Scuba Course?
Before paying for a course, check exactly what your booking includes. Course packages vary between dive centers and destinations.
Some useful questions include:
- Is PADI eLearning included?
- Is scuba equipment rental included?
- Are there additional equipment or training fees?
- How many students will be in the class?
- How many days will the course take?
- Where will the confined and open water dives take place?
- What is the cancellation or rescheduling policy?
If you’re booking a course while traveling, also ask about transportation to the dive center or dive sites.
Knowing what’s included makes it easier to compare your options and choose the course that’s right for you.
What Do You Need Before Starting?
You don’t need previous scuba diving experience to begin your PADI Open Water Diver course. However, there are age, swimming and health requirements you’ll need to meet.
The Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire helps identify conditions that may require evaluation by a physician before diving. Depending on your answers and local requirements, you may need medical clearance before starting your in-water training.
Divers can also learn more about fitness to dive through Divers Alert Network (DAN), which provides research-based information about diving health and safety.
If you aren’t ready to commit to certification, consider a PADI Discover Scuba® Diving (DSD) experience first. A DSD is an opportunity to try scuba diving under the supervision of a PADI Professional before enrolling in a full certification course.
Ready To Book Your Scuba Diving Course?
There isn’t one right way to learn to dive. You can train entirely at home, turn your certification into a vacation or combine the best of both through a referral.
The important thing is choosing an option that fits your schedule and allows you to learn comfortably.
Once you’ve figured out how to book a scuba diving course, you’re one step closer to taking your first breath underwater and gaining access to an entirely new world.